Skinny Love - Ron Weasley

Chapter 6

"This is mad. Who'd wanna be taught by me?" Harry questions as he follows Alex and Hermione through the snowy village.

The two girls have been planning for the past few weeks trying to get this perfect, "I'm a nutter, remember?"

"We're all mad here."

"Enough of your muggle references, I don't get them!" Ron exclaims throwing his head back before turning to Harry, "Look on the bright side, you can't be any worse than old toad face."

Harry nods sarcastically as he raises his brows, "Thanks, Ron."

"I'm here for you, mate." Ron nods patting his back.

"Who's supposed to be meeting us, then?" Harry asks as they walk into the Hogshead.

"Just a couple of people."

"Lovely spot." Ron acknowledges giving off a sarcastic smile.

Alex rolls her eyes and nudges him in the ribs, "Thought it would be safer off the beaten track."

The Quartet waits for a few minutes as students pile into the old pub, "Hi." Hermione says awkwardly glancing around at the students.

"So you all know why we're here. We need a teacher. A proper teacher."

Alex sighs pushing Hermione down and standing up, "If you want to learn how to defend yourselves, maybe blow some shit up and just get on Umbridge's last nerve, this is the place for you."

Hermione pulls her down and retakes her position in front of everyone, "As I was saying, we need a proper teacher. One who's had experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts."

"Why?" A students questions.

"Why?" Ron scoffs, "Because You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot."

"So he says."

"So Dumbledore says."

"So Dumbledore says because he says. The point is, where's the proof?"

"If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed..." Another student says quietly.

Harry sighs standing up for everyone to see him, "I'm not gonna talk about Cedric, so if that's why you're here, clear out now. Come on, Hermione. They're here because they think I'm some sort of freak."

"Is it true you can produce a Patronus Charm?" Luna asks.

Alex nods, "Yes. I've seen it. It saved my life."

"Blimey, Harry," Dean breaths out, "I didn't know you could do that."

"And he killed a basilisk, with the sword in Dumbledore's office." Neville says.

"It's true."

Ron smiles at his friend, "Third year, he fought off about a hundred Dementors at once."

"Last year, he really did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh."

"Wait," Harry says shaking his head, "Look, it all sounds great when you say it like that... but the truth is, most of that was just luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time. I nearly always had help."

Hermione sighs, "He's just being modest."

"No, Hermione, I'm not. Facing this stuff in real life is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake, you can just try again tomorrow. But out there... when you're a second away from being murdered... or watching a friend die right before your eyes... You don't know what that's like."

Alex nods as she refrains from rolling her eyes at his choice of words, "You're right, Harry, we don't... That's why we need your help."

"Because if we're going to have any chance at beating... Voldemort..."

"He's really back?" Harry nods and Alex stands up with a piece of paper.

"Who's in?"

~~~~~

"Right. First we need to find a place to practice... where Umbridge won't find out."

"The Shrieking Shack." Alex offers as she rubs her gloved hands together.

Harry shakes his head offering his scarf to his friend that's always cold, "It's too small."

"Forbidden Forest?"

"Not bloody likely."

"Harry, what happens if Umbridge does find out?"

"Who cares?" Hermione exclaims with a smile, "I mean, it's sort of exciting, isn't it, breaking the rules?"

Alex raises a brow as she adjusts the scarf around her neck, "Who are you and what have you done with my Hermione?"

"Anyway, at least we know one positive thing that came from today." Hermione smiles.

"What's that?"

"Cho couldn't take her eyes off you, could she?"

Alex sends a sympathetic look to Ginny who rolls her eyes and acts like t doesn't affect her, "Right. Over the next few days, we should each come up with a couple of possibilities of places we can practice. We've got to make sure, wherever it is, there's no chance she can find us."

"Will do, Harry."

~~~~~

"Watch where you're going, Longbottom."

Alex rolls her eyes as she jogs to catch up with Neville, "Don't you two have some snobs to pick?" She barks to the two Slytherins.

The pair open their mouths only to clamp them shut when they see who it is before hurrying away.

"Just ignore them, Neville." She says only to walk into him, "Neville, what are you-"

~~~~~

"You've done it, Neville. You found the Room of Requirement." Hermione exclaims.

"The Room of what?" Ales asks walking forward and spinning around.

"It's also known as the Come and Go Room. "The Room of Requirement only appears when a person has real need of it. And it's always equipped for the seeker's needs."

Ron watches as Alex throws aside her wand and does Cartwheels around the room, "So say you really needed the toilet..."

"Charming, Ronald. But, yes, that is the general idea."

"It's brilliant. It's like Hogwarts wants us to fight back."